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MacSax Aura tone

7K views 27 replies 17 participants last post by  Danestock 
#1 ·
I have question about the Aura tone. I recently bought one and while I didn't know really what to expect it wasn't the sound I am getting. On a Conn New Wonder with a Lavox MedSoft, the sound I get has a lot of similarity to what I get with a Metallite. Probably the one thing I wasn't expecting. I had been primarily using a CEWinds Gold Genesis for a couple years and wanted to try a different style piece for low $$ to gain some experience/knowledge. I have more determination than talent and wonder if I am somehow doing something wrong or is it just a case everyone is different and that is how I happen to sound on that style piece? It has been 2 weeks, is that not enough time to adjust from what I was unconsciously doing with the Genesis?

Thanks
 
#2 ·
Face it - you are going to sound like you, no matter what. The mouthpiece can help or hinder you...
 
#3 ·
I never had issues with the Macsax Aura using 2.5 Van Doren Green reeds. It is actually a very versatile, inexpensive, well made piece for me. I use it on the tenor and C Melody saxes. It may take a while to find the right MP and reed combination, particularly if you are not used to the one size tip opening ( I think .105). It certainly plays different than the Rico D'Addario Metalite M7 and M9 I have.
 
#4 ·
I have question about the Aura tone. I recently bought one and while I didn't know really what to expect it wasn't the sound I am getting. On a Conn New Wonder with a Lavox MedSoft, the sound I get has a lot of similarity to what I get with a Metallite. Probably the one thing I wasn't expecting. I had been primarily using a CEWinds Gold Genesis for a couple years and wanted to try a different style piece for low $$ to gain some experience/knowledge. I have more determination than talent and wonder if I am somehow doing something wrong or is it just a case everyone is different and that is how I happen to sound on that style piece? It has been 2 weeks, is that not enough time to adjust from what I was unconsciously doing with the Genesis?
Since we have NO idea of your personal sound, it is hard to say explicitly why you sound the same. However, I'll start with a WAG that you have either (or both) a poor embouchure or air stream. If you have a terrible embouchure and horrid air stream, you sound will predictably be either terrible or horrid. :twisted: :bluewink:

This is one of those instances where the most correct answer is likely to be "Get personal instruction".
 
#5 ·
I've been with an instructor for about 5 years until the end of December. He is a great guy and studied with Joe Allard but he is getting on in years and he and his wife just moved from their house to an apartment and he is trying to feel out if he will be able to keep some students, so I haven't seen him with it. He has always said I was progressing really well and was amazed with how much work I put in (late bloomer here, he also taught my son for a few years and now my daughter was going to him also). I can be a little oblivious, maybe the message is "sorry but you've peaked already so stop working so hard":scratch:
 
#7 ·
I can be a little oblivious, maybe the message is "sorry but you've peaked already so stop working so hard":scratch:
I can relate to this statement for sure. I practice now just to maintain my chops so when I do get a gig I can play all 3 sets without too much effort. But I think the only thing that's improved since I had my kids is my sound and my time feel. I don't think I can really play anything more impressive than I used to. It just sounds better now.

I was considering purchasing the Aura. But I waited and found a great deal on one of Eric's metal Warburton pieces. I've been really enjoying it since.
 
#9 ·
I do mouthpiece exercises while driving to work in the AM, then to practice warm up with overtone matching and slurring for 10 minutes, full chromatic range with the metronome in 1/8 triplet and 1/16 for 5 minutes then work on the moondance melody from memory in different keys without using the octave key. With my teacher I've gone through several of the Jazz standard type play-alongs, the Fishman jaz phrasing trilogy and the Hal Leonard RnR vol1 (except Hand Clappin way too fast) and working now on RnB vol2.

I didn't mean to sound like I was passing judgement on the Aura or the metallite for that matter (read a long thread on that one with strong views from both sides). I am sure it is a well designed and well made piece, I was just surprised by the sound I got from it and didn't know if that was the direction it should have gone. The Genesis piece is marked 10 but I read once that he used a less common # system and is more like a 8 or 8*. My wife thought I sounded more like big band jazz on that and on the Aura I was bright and loud. Unfortunately I don't know what to compare the Genesis to, the chamber may be a little smaller, the walls are straight, slight roll over baffle, facing and opening the reed vibrates over is longer.
 
#10 ·
I could be wrong, but I thought I read that the Genesis was based on the metal Selmer jazz pieces. I know you already said you weren't trashing the mouthpiece, but I own an Aura and I consider it a fantastic middle-of-the-road mouthpiece on a budget.
 
#11 ·
The issue isn't necessarily the mouthpiece or you but perhaps a combination of factors. Maybe that piece just doesn't work with that horn or those reeds or your embouchure. You might want to try different reeds before you give up on the Aura, Hemke for example. Like some others who posted in this thread, I am very pleased with an Aura. I use Hemke and RJS filed on the Aura with a Vito Beaugnier tenor.
 
#12 ·
I'm not unhappy with the Aura, just surprised where it took me based on things I read. Maybe it has to do with my starting point? I'm still practicing with it. For a tone reference, the sound I am currently getting with it is in the direction of AC Reed on Albert Collin's Ice Pickin and Frostbite albums to my ears (was listening to that while walking the dog this morning). I love everything about those albums, including AC Reed but is far from what I had been hearing with the other. I put the sound I got with the metallite in that same area, not identical but that general area.
 
#13 ·
It sounds like you are doing the right things in your practice to improve your tone.

AC Reed has a very distinctive tone. Sounds like he's overblowing and using a little bit of growl much of the time to add some dirt to his sound.

You might also want to try experimenting with some different reeds. Perhaps a brighter reed like a Rico Royal might help you get more in the ballpark?
 
#14 ·
I may be a bit off the reservation here, but I am not sold on emulating the sound of a particular player to the extent of using particular equipment to try to get that sound.

A more lasting development may be achieved by selecting middle of the road equipment that seems to work well for you mechanically and in the contexts where you play (good intonation, adequate projection for the conditions, etc.) and then let your own sound come out. Read up on Lester Young, Leora Henderson, and the Coleman Hawkins legacy. Lester played a Link on a Conn tenor. Hawkins played a Link on a Selmer tenor. Similar equipment, probably, different concept and personal mechanics.

I do believe one should listen to a wide range of players to get the different sounds in their head.

When I was a young saxophonist, the main player I listened to was Coltrane. I did not, however, end up sounding anything at all like him on tenor.
 
#15 ·
The Aura, from what I remember, is a 3D printed copy of a Florida Link that Eric either owns or had access to. That being said, for me, it sounds like what I would expect a Florida Link to sound like. So, I sound like me, basically, give or take a shade or two of brightness. It's not like going from a Link to a Guardala or vice versa.
 
#16 ·
Are you recording all of these vast differences in sound? There's a big difference between what we feel behind the horn versus what the audience hears. We throw out reeds that don't perform perfectly and cycle through moithpieces and other gear looking for the perfect combination, when all most of us really need is solid gear that's in good repair. The aurora is a copy of a Florida Link, so it should be versatile and capable of not getting in the way of any sounds you learn how to make.
 
#17 ·
I've never played a Florida Link, but my Aura is near-interchangeable with my EB Link STM. I use 2.5 V16 reeds on both. If anything the Aura is a little easier blowing, especially in the low end of the horn, whereas the Link retains a tiny bit more fullness in the higher ranges. I suspect to the average (non-sax-playing) listener that there's no difference.

I go back and forth between the two 'pieces depending on gig and circumstances. I also have a bronze Berg in rotation; it likes orange-box Ricos. I sound pretty much the same on all three though, after a few minutes.

I have to say, in terms of value, I don't think it's possible to beat the Aura. Yes, there are better mouthpieces, but you could buy 5 or more Auras for what they cost... and they're not THAT much better. I kinda want to buy a second Aura to compare for consistency of manufacture and sound.
 
#18 ·
Update. I've still been playing with the Aura and after about 1-1/2 months my tone seemed to get huskier if that makes sense. Actually I think I started to sound more similar to how I had sounded on the genesis but maybe a little edgier, hard to say. Out of curiosity one day I went back to the Genesis and couldn't believe the sound I now get on that, very very dull. I also tried the metallite again for a few notes and it seemed less bright and had some low end that wasn't there before.

I feel I gained some very important first hand experience and knowledge.
1. I have a certain basic sound that I am going to end up with and equipment will only provide minor tweaks. I guess this gets to the whole sound concept thing which I haven't honestly given the consideration that maybe I should, concentrating more on technical aspects. I know I have read this in countless threads but first hand beats second hand knowledge.
2. Whatever I had learned to do with the genesis to get my basic sound took over a month to undo and adjust to the aura so for me, at this stage of my development, play testing something for an hour, day or maybe even a week would probably be pointless in evaluating it.
3. I may have been working harder than necessary to push the genesis to get that sound and may be getting there easier now with the Aura.

Hmm, now that I read that back I suppose a counter hypothesis could be that I am now working to restrain the Aura.

So here is a question that comes to mind; if I am always going to gravitate to back to a basic sound that is me, how would I know/pick the right mpc for me? I am in no rush to change from the Aura and don't plan to any time soon but find the question intriguing.
 
#21 ·
Pontius, sorry about your experience. Maybe contact Macsax? Sounds like something was wrong with it. I'm still gigging with mine.

In fact, in the interest of science and my own curiosity, I picked up a second Aura on ebay ($60!). I haven't had time to play it but I want to try it back-to-back with the first one I got, to see how repeatable the results of the 3D printing process might be. Yes, I know that a sample group of two isn't representative of all that might be manufactured, but we all know that it's rare that even two mouthpieces of the same brand/model/tip opening will sound and feel the same.

When I've had some time to fool with it, I'll report back.
 
#24 ·
I finally had time to play both Auras in my possession. Both were bought second-hand, both from Ebay, though I got the first one in October and the second just about a month ago. I tried both with the same few reeds and the same Selmer 404 ligature.

Bear in mind that terms like "bright" and "dark" have become so subjective in my mind that I don't even feel like I know what they mean any more. That being said:

The first one as I said above compares very favorably to my EB Link STM, which was worked on and opened to about .108" by Erik G. The Aura is if anything slightly easier to play, especially in the low register. I use these two 'pieces almost interchangeably, both with Selmer 404 ligature and Vandorn V16 2.5. I would say both of these are on the mid-to-brighter side of Link tone, with lots of overtones. Neither seems thin to me (or I'd get rid of 'em) but have a big, powerful sound.

The second mouthpiece is distinctly different, but not a lot different. In terms of playability it seems about the same from top to bottom of the horn. The tone though is a bit "darker" (here we go) - fewer overtones, and more focused. I don't hear it as louder or softer, just different. It reminds me a little more of a bronze Berg I have but I think this Aura is still on the Link spectrum, so to speak. It does fit slightly tighter on the neck cork of my horn, which I find weird. Not to the point of being difficult or compressing the cork but it's definitely a tighter shank than the first one.

One caveat - I now have 4-5 mouthpieces I use in an irregular rotation. I primarily play with a 10-piece horn-rock group and I need a lot of cut, but without being bright and obnoxious. I go from the EB Link to the first Aura to the Berg to a heavily modified Yanigisawa metal piece I picked up not long ago. I use V16s with some, Rico orange box with others. It doesn't seem to matter which one I put on the horn, after 10-15 minutes I just sound like "myself" again.

One more caveat - I've tried dozens of mouthpieces in the last 10 or so years. Some were bargains found here or Ebay, some were high-dollar recent offerings (Wanne, Barone, etc). I don't consider myself a great player by any means, nor an authority on the subject. Mouthpieces seem to fall into three categories for me. 1 - those that resemble my Link, 2 - those that sound more like the Berg, and 3 - those that I either hate the sound, the playability, or both.

No idea if this'll help anyone, but there you have it. I'm torn between keeping the new Aura or moving it on. It sounds and plays like a thing or two I already have, but it also was so inexpensive that selling it might not be worth the effort. Decisions, decisions...

I will say this: now having sampled two of them, my opinion is that the variation between examples is no worse than with any other modern mouthpiece maker and a hell of a lot less than many. I'd be happy with either of these and I still wouldn't hesitate to recommend an Aura to just about anybody.
 
#25 ·
Has anyone noticed some compression under the ligature? I'm using the Rico H ligature that came with it. I notice that there is a bit of a dip where metal ligature straps contact the mouthpiece. I can't remember if it came that way.

Also I notice a bit of concave in the table, but I'm not sure if that is normal feature for this mouthpiece.
 
#26 ·
I played an Aura for just under a year. It's a fabulous mouthpiece for the price. I've since moved on to a Phil-Tone Mosaic. It's not the aura was bad, more along the lines of wanting to go a little darker with the tone. I'd heartily recommend it for anyone beyond a raw beginner. I loved the low blowing resistance of this piece. I had the best luck darkening the tone with Vandoren classical reeds, specifically the V12.

For me the Aura is a little bit darker than middle of the road. Not much though.

So in the time I've been playing again, I've used:

Link STM NY
MacSax Aura
Phil-Tone Mosaic

Once you move to a mouthpiece with a really good facing, it's hard to go back.
 
#28 ·
I had been enjoying the Aura but unfortunately there is one less in the world now. I was looking over my reeds with a straight edge and most weren't flat on the back so I sanded them on a plate of glass with some fine emery paper. Then curiosity got the better of me and I checked the table of the Aura. Definitely concave. I thought to log in and post a question about it but it was late and, wth, its just a little sanding. A little sanding pointed out that there was also some concavity from the back of the table to about mid way up the rail. Maybe I was tightening the lig too hard? Again the thought to post a Q but, WTH its just a little more sanding. Well that little bit closed the tip up quite a bit. At this point in for a penny in for a pound so I tried working the opening a little but I guess the 3D print material does like being messed with too much and the tip cracked off. I don't think I'll ever try that again whatever the material.

I pulled out the piece I was using previously and wow is it different than I remember, not sure if good or bad yet. I guess I've changed (developed?) and may have to go shopping.
 
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